arters, for perhaps
they had not materials to break open our bulkheads, or get in upon us.

The gunner had in the meantime orders to bring two guns, to bear fore and
aft, out of the steerage, to clear the deck, and load them with musket-
bullets, and small pieces of old iron, and what came next to hand. Thus
we made ready for fight; but all this while we kept out to sea, with wind
enough, and could see the boats at a distance, being five large
longboats, following us with all the sail they could make.

Two of those boats (which by our glasses we could see were English)
outsailed the rest, were near two leagues ahead of them, and gained upon
us considerably, so that we found they would come up with us; upon which
we fired a gun without ball, to intimate that they should bring to: and
we put out a flag of truce, as a signal for parley: but they came
crowding after us till within shot, when we took in our white flag, they
having made no answer to it, and hung out a red flag, and fired at them
with a shot. Notwithstanding this, they came on till they were near
enough to call to them with a speaking-trumpet, bidding them keep off at
their peril.

It was all one; they crowded after us, and endeavoured to come under our
stern, so as to board us on our quarter; upon which, seeing they were
resolute for mischief, and depended upon the strength that followed them,
I ordered to bring the ship to, so that they lay upon our broadside; when
immediately we fired five guns at them, one of which had been levelled so
true as to carry away the stern of the hindermost boat, and we then
forced them to take down their sail, and to run all to the head of the
boat, to keep her from sinking; so she lay by, and had enough of it; but
seeing the foremost boat crowd on after us, we made ready to fire at her
in particular. While this was doing one of the three boats that followed
made up to the boat which we had disabled, to relieve her, and we could
see her take out the men. We then called again to the foremost boat, and
offered a truce, to parley again, and to know what her business was with
us; but had no answer, only she crowded close under our stern. Upon
this, our gunner who was a very dexterous fellow ran out his two case-
guns, and fired again at her, but the shot missing, the men in the boat
shouted, waved their caps, and came on. The gunner, getting quickly
ready again, fired among them a second time, one shot of which, though it
m